The National tribune., 1887-10-13
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
IN MOBILE BAY.

A Naval Veteran Tells What the Fleet Did There.
EprToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: As there has
been some discussion in your paper lately IN
regard 10 the last battle of the war, thought
] would send you a T" leaf from my log" as You
so seldom have anything in your columns from
the navy, and state how the matter appeared
from the guuboats lying in front Of Spanish
Fort in Mobile Bay, i'm April, 1850
il had been deemed best not 10 attempt the
capture OF the city OF Mobile by direct attack
on account OF numerous batteries lines OF OBJ
struction, consisting OF three rows OF piles M
front OF the city aud torpodOes placed in the
most favorable positions for blowing up any
unfortunate gunboat or monitor which might
venture that way and acting on thesupposlon
that the longest way around would be the
quickest way 10 get there, the fleet under Ad-
miral Henry X. Thatcher went across Mobile
Bay and attempted TO go around
THROUGH THE RIVER
which ran from that side OF the bay 20 the city.
Al the mouth OF this river was located Spanish
Fort, Batteries Hugera and Tracy and the Mound
Battery, so called; but the worst obstacle tho
navy had 10 contend with was torpedoes the
channels being filled with them and before the
place WIS captured IL cost us several good YES
sels including two monitors.
We co-operated with the army under Gems.
Candy and Granger, and sent naval brigade
ashore. composed OF bluejackois and marines,
from the different vessels in the feet 10 man
battery Of heavy siege guns which had
been made mp among the gunboats. The
fleet laid In the channel at the entrance OF
Spanish River in the best positions they could
obtain 10 operate against the fort, and had been
there but a lew days when tOrpedOcs began TO
make their presence known, and the do, ble-
turreted monitor Milwaukee was struck by one
and broken completely in two amidships, the
forward part, with its turret, falling one way
AID 4 no off In ofl npsin IN
the shallowness of the water she did not sink
out OF sight, the tops of both turrets remaining
out OF water. I'm few days the Rodolph, a
tin-clad, was struck by another torpedo and
the whole bow OF the vessel was blow of, several
men being killed at the same time.
The rebs being encouraged at their success in
this line, became very active. Steamers were
running continually from the city to Blakely
and Spanish Fort, carrying troops and supplies
and more torpedoes They would bring these
down the river as
FAR AS THEY DARED TO COME,
Just out Of reach of our guns, and place them
in the water with a drag attached, which would
allow them 10 drift down with the current just
below the surface The water being muddy pre-
vented their being seen. A few days later the
monitor Usage lying near TO the fort was struck
by anotheT torpedo and sunk, some of the crew
being killed As matters were getting serious,
some Of the vessels were fitted with rakes at
tached TO the bows TO catch the tOrpedoes and
explode them before they struck the hull. A
netting was also laid across the channel at the
mouth of the river and some were intercepted
In this way; but the usual way was TO take a
boat and drag for them with graphing iron.
In this manner Is were picked up in one day.
OF the i've vessels lying in the channel near
est the fort, three had been blown up. The
writer was on the fourth one the Meteor, and
we considered seriously if our turn was coming
next as things were, we stood three chances
out of four of being hit. However it was not
our turn the
NEXT ONE TO CATCH 1T
was the gunboat Sciota who lay long dis
tance below us, and apparently out of harms
way as far as torpedOes were concerned. She was
sunk, and only her mastheads were out of
water. by this time the rebels had constructed
aud launched mp the TOmbigbee two rams-the
Huntsville and Nashville. These were expected
down to make a raid on the feet one of them
lying at Blakely, but they never attacked us,
probably being afraid of striking some of their
own torpedoes which they had distributed SO
literally.
by this time the army had got ready to sail
IN under Gen. A. j. Smith. i think the troops
were known as
"sMTTH's GUERRLLAs";
for what reason do not know. The navy in
the meantime had been operating against the
fort on the side next the river, and had silenced
the guns facing tho water and had also quoted
two water batteries farther up. On Saturday
April {, the troops ashore kept up constant
fire all day, also the gunbOats slowly Smelling
the place At 4 O'clock in the afternoon they
commenced TO pour heavy fire into the fort
and the smoke being 60 thick soon obscured il
from our view, but the wind getting stronger
cleared it away, and we had fine view. The
cannonadrig was incessant, and after dark in.
creased TO a perfect roar and continued until
after 10 p. m, when IL gradually ceased. Al
1850 p M all noise stopped, except the yelling
and cheering OF the soldiers who illuminated
the place by building fires ON the walls of tn,
fort The scene as viewed from the river WA
grand.
On Sunday, the 9th, the batteries up the rivei
were Smelling our troops all day. The OctararS
replying to them. Monday, April 10, and Tues
day, April IL, the monitors and the OctararC
moved up the stream, Smelling the rebel bat
teries. AT l0p. m. they
EVACUATED THE BATTERIES,
leaving ii heavy rifles. At midnight the Mayo
OF the city surrendered the place TO Admira
Thatcher. The Confederate navy ran AWAY IN
the Iombigbee River and did not surrende
until some days later We went ashore ant
visited Spanish Fort after the fight IL was ful
OF exploded shells and old iron. There wer
BOO prisoners. We went down 10 see them
Ahey Mefe eAulIihg over the damage done q
the ileet, and all of them had the same auestio,
70 ask the navy boys, viz: How do you lik
torpedocsf" There were other vessels blow
mp aiso-the Ida, Althea, St. Marys aud TIA
army steamer Laura, besides others who's
names ] have forgotten.
On Thursday, April 20, we got the news @
the assassination of President Lincoln, and Tia
nags OF the fleet were all AT half mast On Fri
day, the 2lst 100 guns were fired in memory O
the President at morning noon and sunset. AM
hali-hour guns were fired from the fleet an,
batteries ashore. IL raincd hard all day, wit
continuous thunder, which echoed and role,
across the bay, seemingly as though the elc
ments united with man ia bewailing the conn
trys loss. The war was ended, but our reioic
lngs were mingled with sorrow-RoBERT 4
LINCOLN, Third Assistant Engineer, L. S. Navy
81 Olive street, Boston, Mass.
Tribute 10 Leut-COl. Tom" Smith 4sth mn.
EDToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: ] was muc
Interested in the well-writtep account of N,